Circuit interrupter



Allg- 15, 1944A R. H. LEITZEL rAl.- 2,356,069

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER I Filed May 26, 1942 2z BY v 50 t ATToRNE Patented Aug. 15, 1944 CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERL Raynmmdv H. Leitzel', `Forest "Hills, and -williangln Ware, VWilkinsburg, Pa., assignors toWestmg vhouse Electric'ai Manufacturing Company,v East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorpiorationof Pennsylvania AppncationMay 26,- 1942,'fseria1 No. 444.44.98y

' f 14y clam-1s.t (Client-4s) mounted intayllnderfl2,`V forV actuation `by-,a Huid/,

Thisl invention relatesv inI general.v to electric circuit interrupters, and lmoreeparticularlyi to.,ds-..

connecting switchesof the type having.V a reciprocatingblade.

Heretofore switches-.havingla reciprocating. contacthave been proposed Withthe reciprocating..

contactmovable .either paralleler; at right;anglesy to l the `supporting .porcelain insulators. these typesof .switches requireconsiderable space, and fail` to .talseinto` consideration. themechani cal weakness.. of porcelain insulators, especially with respectto shock andtbendingstresses.l K

Oneobject oi this inventionisto provide a.

novel arrangement, of a disconnectingsWitch ofv for a disconnecting; swtch, novel;l shock-absorb-u 111g,` andv selffaligning Contact mounting, means- Another object., of this, inventionis'tolplovide a disconnecting switch of they reciprocating blade type With novel Contact meansvcooperable there with.

These and other objectszoigthis, invention `Will become-more anparentunon Consideration f the following :descriptioniof a preferred embodimentI thereof whentakenin:connection with the at:v

tached drawing, in Whichz Figure `1 is a sidelviewfof a disconnecting' switch embpdyins this invention;

Fig. 2;is an enlargedfsidefvievvof thefsvvitcn contact andsupportthereior;

hand side of Fig. 2,`and

Both. 0fk

undert.4 pressurasuch as` compressed; air.y VAs, shown in zFig., 1; ,aho o d.v I4f may beprovided yfortherbladev actuating cylinder if desired, and the` cylinder` and, hood supportedon any desired, infsulatng support, such, `for example, as the circuitl breaker supporting insulators shown in the `aforesaid copendingapplication. y I

An important feature of this invention ,resides inthe switch` contact construction, which, as`

shownfin Fig. 2,'comprises abase I6 adapted-to be; rigidly securedI in the insulator cover struc. turel`4, for examplefaszby beingl boltedthereto,l and this baseis provided with a slightly raised, substantially centrally located thrust bearing su-r- Y face |78.` A yoke member zllvhastthe intermediate portion thereof seated onbearing surface I8;` and. is pivotally mountedrtin bearing" relation there-v with; by a pivot bo1t.2`l. The free. ends ofjyokfe 20 carry a pivot pin 22.for pivotallyjsupporting.. about an axis transverse.with respectto the axis, of pivot bolt 2l, acontact support 24.- Tleconf tactsupport 24 includes a baseplate 26.angularly bent intermediate its ends,. and. a, reinforcingrib 28 integraltherevvith. One end'offthe,c,on

. tact support provides a at'terminal` pad3|1for securing a line` conductor thereto', and"thisendf is 4also provided with asubst'antially centrally located, downwardly dependingv a'nge 32. The, iiange 32 is provided at"itslower. end; with an' elongated slot 3.4Y adapted to receiveagstop pin'l 3 6 mounted in spaced ears 38"provided`integra with supporting base IGZ' 'Coil compressionh springsA 31 are'provided on pin 36f 'at 'opposite Fig 4 is a section throughthe contactgtakenl. y

substantially on the line IV-IV of Fig. .2."

The participar switch illustrated Eigner' themdrawing is; especiallyadaptedfor use conjunction with an air circuitbreakersuch ailithatY disclosed inthavcopendingvv application of L. R.

Ludwig et al. .Serial No. 431-8394, filed February. 18, 1,942, and assignedto the samel assignee of this application.

1n general, the switch',contatetisadpted to" r be mounted on an j insulating structurel such as. the insulator 2 shown in.. `Eig. 1, Whichmay. be' of any. desired insulating material preferably porcelain or nienke.' Trie 'insulator 'zimayfbe hollow if desired; for th'erec'eptionl of other electrical apparatus, and is'provided `Witha cover structure dfhaving an oiset hood Bsecuredftherep' to for housing'.l the switchlcontact structure 8.

The switch blade lui is,flongitudinally."sudamy,

the contact sides o'f`iiange 32. This structure Williobviou'sly havfethe effect of limiting pivotal moverr'ient` of i the contact support about pivot pin 22am amount determined by` tlie extent of slotr 34;.and" springs 31 will normally maintain contact 'support 24at`" the position shownv and "will 'resil'iently oppose rotation ab'out'pivot 2lin`eith'er direction. A coil' vconlpres'sion spring 4.0' is seated.' in a depression'`v in base. lt",A and bearsagainst the contact support. ina manner to. bias. it in Aa `cou'nterclockvvisedi'.-y rection about pivot 22,` tofnormally" maintainrv l K support in the position' shown4 Fig. 2.

The other end.` ofthe contact support-haseJ contact assembly. 42 secured "at the', 'outerendf thereofand alrel'atively large `mass 44; vvhiclirnay.

,t l betformed integral with'rthe contact support;` and.' located on the side. of theContact assembly ad?.

jacent pivot 22, but spaced` from this pivot.T

Y Contact assembly 4 2 `is mounted in asubstan.-v tially rectangular-shaped enclosure lfsecuredtp.

shown, the contact :lingers may be' provided withy divergent outer ends, with an inset 52 of an arcing' material such, for example, as a tungsten alloy or the like. Contact fingers 50 are biased towards each other by a coil compression spring 5,8 for each contact, engaging between the adjacent wall of contact enclosure 46, andthe base of an annular slot 56 formed in the contact fingers for preventing lateral escape of the springs. Each contact finger is provided centrally of annular slot 56, with an outwardly projecting stud 60 ixed...KV

thereto, and passing centrally through coil compression springs 58 and through a slot 62 opening tothe lfree "edge of. the contact enclosure. Out-` wardlyof the contact enclosure, studs 60 are' provided with stop members maintained in position by nuts-64 threaded thereon, to limit movementv of the contact ngers toward each other under thev influence of springs 58. Contact fingers 50 are electrically connected to plate 26 of the contact support by means of a exible shunt 66, of lany suitable iiexible conducting material, such, for example, as braided or laminated copper ribbon, or' thel like. Shunt 66 has the ends thereof connected to the respective Contact fingers, for example, as by rivets 68, and the intermediate p0rtionof the shunt is maintained in engagement with the plate portion 26 of the-contact supportv by ka bolt 10. The particular contact assembly 42 descrbedabove is designed with especial regard t'o ease of assembly, and it can be seen thatthe contact ngersmay be rst assembledto exible shunt 66 and then with springs 58 in place they may be inserted into enclosure 46 with studs 60 entering slots 62. The pivots 54 may then be assembled, and shunt 66 secured to plate 26- by bolt y 10,.' and the assembly will be complete.

In the operation of the switch constructed in;

, v 45 switchV is in closedY circuit'position as shown in Fig. lof thedrawing, it will be' apparent that the circuit may be Y,opened by withdrawal yof blade I0 to"a"position spaced from contact structurev 8,L

accordance with this invention, assuming that the whereupon thecontact structure will assume the position' shown in Figs. Zand 3-of the drawing.

Now,V whenV it is desired to'close the circuit, thev mounting or contact support 24 on pivot bolt 2l, so that upon closing the switch, if the tip of the switch blade I0 is not exactly aligned with the space between the contact ngers, it will act on the inclined edge of these ngers to rotate contact support 24 about pivot 2l against the .bias of one of springs V37.V Obviously, whenl the switch is open, springs 31 will return `contact support 24 to a position wherein flange 32 thereon is intermediate ears 38 on base I6.

g The impact and consequent strain on insulator 2 is further reduced by providing the switch blade I0 to move in a path extending at an acute angle Aof approximately 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator. By this arrangement, the force on the insulator due to impact of the switch blade is divided into vertical and horizontal components, thereby decreasing both oaf these components, while, at the same time, decreasing ,the' space dimensions required by the switch invits operation. It is believed readily apparent that if the switch blade operates in a. horizontal path, greater horizontal space would be required than with the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, and similarly, if the switch operates in a vertical path, greater vertical space would be required than is required by the switch shown in this figure. The most important result of this switch arrangement probably isthe reduction of the component of force exerted upon impact of the blade tending to bend insulator 2, because insulatorsl of this type are relatively weak with respect' to forces exerted ina manner tending to i Ibend the porcelain.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention in `accordance 'with the patent statutes, it is desired that the invention be not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, inasmuch as it will be obvious, particularly to persons skilled in the art, that many modifications and changes may be made in this particular embodiment without departing from the broad spirit and scope of'this invention, asdefined` in I the appended claims.

bladel llis moved-by the 'operatingfluid into engag'em'ent with the'contact structure 8 with a considerable iorce' Because the relatively large mass44 increases the inertia of movable contact support 24, and because movement of contact support 24 in a clockwise direction about ApivotV 22 is further opposed by spring 46', the impact of the blade on the contact will be substantiallyv absorbed by these two`4 means. switches of this type whichV are used for high voltages 'require' 'greater spacing between the switch blade support and insulator 2 as the voltage increases. With such greater spacings, there may be some bending or vibration of blade Ill',` especiallywhen it is moved at arelatively high speed, so that theI tip'of the blade may not beVl perfectly aligned between contact fingers 50; Moreover, the tolerances possible in manufacturing porcelain insulators are relatively high to thereby further increase the-,chance that the contactngers will beut of line vwith the switch` blade; Howeven'this is'taken care of in ac cordance with this invention by the pivotal Disconnecting We claim as our invention:

'1. In a disconnecting switch, contact means, blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said contactA means,` means pivotally mounting said contact means at a point spaced laterally ofthe "l contacting portion of said contact meansl'to permitl limited bodily movement of said contact means with said blade means in l the plane of blade movement, and'r means pivotally mounting said contact means for limited pivotal movement in a plane-extending angularly with respect tothe plane of blade movement. f'

Y2.*In a disconnecting switch, v'contact means,

blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said'cl'm'tact means, means mounting said contact means for limited movement inthe plane of blade movement and in an angularly related planefand resilient means bias- 'ing said contact means toward said blade means Y' blade meansmounted formovement into 'and vout of engagement with saidvcontact means, means mounting'said contactmeans for limited movement in the `plane ofjbla'de movement and in an angularly related plane, yresilient means biasing said contact means toward said blade means, and

additional spring means normally maintaining said contact means at an intermediate point in its path of movement in said angularly related plane.

4. In a disconnecting switch, contact means, blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said contact means, means mounting said contact means for limited movement in the plane of blade movement, a relatively large inertia mass associated with said contact means in a manner to resist movement of said contact means, resilient means biasing said contact means towards said blade means, the mounting of said contact means and the location of said mass relative thereto being such that said mass does not cause any initial stress on said resilient means.

5. In a disconnecting switch, contact means, blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said contact means, means mounting said contact means for limited movement in the plane of blade movement and in an angularly related plane, resilient means biasing said contact means toward said blade means and normally maintaining said contact means at an intermediate point in its path of movement in said angularly related plane, and a relatively large inertia mass associated with said contact means.

6. In a contact construction, a contact supporting member mounted for limited pivotal movement about angularly related axes, and contact means mounted on said member at a point such that said contact means faces along a line which is offset from at least one of said axes.

7. In a contact construction, a contact supporting member mounted for limited pivotal movement, contact jaws opening in one direction of said pivot movement and mounted on said member at a point spaced from said pivot, a relatively large inertia mass on said member at a point spaced from said pivot, and resilient means biasing said member for pivotal movement in said one direction.

8. In a disconnecting switch, contact means, blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said contact means, means mounting said contact means for limited movement laterally of the plane of movement of said blade means, and resilient means normally maintaining said contact means at an intermediate point of its path of movement.

9. In a contact construction, a contact supporting member mounted for limited pivotal movement, contact jaws opening in one direction of said pivot movement and mounted on said member at a point spaced from said pivot, resilient means biasing said member for pivotal movement in said one direction, said member also mounted for limited pivotal movement about a second axis at an angle to said first mentioned axis, and resilient means normally maintaining said member at an intermediate point in its path of movement about said second axis.

10. In a contact construction, contact supporting means having spaced, opposed supporting members connected at least at one end thereof, opposed contact fingers supported between said members for movement towards and away from each other, resilient means urging said lingers towards each other, and unitary flexible shunt means having the ends thereof connected to the inner ends of said lingers, respectively, and an intermediate portion thereof connected with said end connection between said supporting members so that said shunt means is confined within said supporting means.

11. In a contact construction, contact supporting means having spacedl opposed supporting members, opposed contact ngers supported between said members for movement towards and away from each other, coil compression springs between said fingers and said members, respectively, and annular recesses in said lingers for receiving the major portions of said springs to prevent lateral escape of said springs.

12. In a contact construction, contact supporting means having spaced, opposed supporting members, opposed contact fingers supported between said members for movement towards and away from each other, coil compression springs between said fingers and said members, respectively, annular recesses in said fingers for receiving adjacent end coils of said springs to prevent lateral escape of said springs, studs secured to each finger and extending through each spring and said members, said studs provided with outer stop portions for limiting movement of said contact lingers towards each other under the innuence of said springs.

13. In a contact construction, contact supporting means having spaced, opposed supporting members, opposed contact fingers supported between said members for movement towards and away from each other, coil compression springs between said fingers and said members, respectively, annular recesses in said lingers for receiving adjacent end coils of said spring to prevent lateral escape of said springs, studs secured to each finger and extending through each spring and through slots opening to the free ends of said members, said studs provided with outer stop portions for limiting movement of said contact fingers towards each other under the influence of said springs.

14. In a disconnecting switch, contact means, blade means mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said contact means, means mounting said contact means for limited movement in the plane of blade movement, resilient means biasing said contact means towards said blade means, and a relatively large inertia mass associated with said contact means in a manner such that the weight of said mass also biases said contact means toward said blade means.

RAYMOND H. LEITZEL. WILLIAM H. WARE. 

